9
Ukukhathazeka KukaPhawuli Ngo-Israyeli
1 Ngikhuluma iqiniso ngikuKhristu, kangiqambi manga, isazela sami siyakufakaza lokhu ngoMoya oNgcwele, 2 Ngilosizi olukhulu lobuhlungu obungapheliyo enhliziyweni yami. 3 Ngoba ngangifisa ukuba ngabe mina uqobo ngiyaqalekiswa ngisuswe kuKhristu ngenxa yabazalwane bami, labo abohlanga lwami ngokwenyama, 4 abantu bako-Israyeli. Okwabo yikwamukelwa njengamadodana, ngeyabo inkazimulo kaNkulunkulu, lesivumelwano, lokwamukela umthetho, lenkonzo yasethempelini kanye lezithembiso. 5 Okhokho ngababo, njalo lusukela kubo usendo lwenyama lukaKhristu, onguNkulunkulu ophezu kwakho konke, odunyiswa kokuphela! Ameni.
Ukukhetha Kobukhosi KukaNkulunkulu
6 Akunjengokuthi ilizwi likaNkulunkulu lehluleka. Ngoba akusibo bonke abayinzalo ka-Israyeli abangama-Israyeli. 7 Njalo ngoba yinzalo yakhe akusibo bonke abangabantwana baka-Abhrahama. Kodwa-ke, “Isizukulwane sakho sizabalwa ngo-Isaka.”* 8 Ngamanye amazwi, akusibantwana benyama abangabantwana bakaNkulunkulu, kodwa ngabantwana besithembiso ababalwa njengenzalo ka-Abhrahama. 9 Ngoba isithembiso satshiwo kanje: “Ngesikhathi esimisiweyo ngizaphenduka, njalo uSara uzakuba lendodana.”†
10 Akusilokho kuphela, kodwa abantwana bakaRabheka bazalwa sikhathi sinye ngubaba wethu u-Isaka. 11 Kodwa amaphahla engakazalwa loba ukwenza ulutho oluhle kumbe olubi, ukuba inhloso kaNkulunkulu yokukhetha iqhubeke; 12 hatshi ngemisebenzi kodwa ngaye obizayo, watshelwa ukuthi, “Omdala uzakhonza omncinyane.”‡ 13 Njengoba kulotshiwe ukuthi, “UJakhobe ngamthanda, kodwa u-Esawu ngamzonda.”§
14 Pho sizakuthini na? UNkulunkulu kalunganga na? Akunjalo! 15 Ngoba uthi kuMosi:
“Ngizakuba lesihawu kulowo engilesihawu kuye,
njalo ngizakuba lozwelo kulowo engilozwelo kuye.”*
16 Ngakho-ke, akuyi ngesifiso somuntu loba umzamo wakhe, kodwa ngesihawu sikaNkulunkulu. 17 Ngoba umbhalo uthi kuFaro, “Ngakuphakamisela injongo yonale kanye, ukuze ngibonakalise amandla ami kuwe lokuthi ibizo lami litshunyayelwe emhlabeni wonke.”† 18 Ngakho uNkulunkulu ulesihawu kulowo athanda ukuba lesihawu kuye, njalo umenza abe lukhuni lowo athanda ukumenza abe lukhuni.
19 Omunye wenu uzakuthi kimi: “Pho kungani uNkulunkulu esisola? Ngoba ngubani ongamelana lentando yakhe na?” 20 Kodwa ungubani wena, ungumuntu, ukuba uphendule uNkulunkulu na? Kambe okubunjiweyo kungatsho yini kulowo owakubumbayo kuthi, “Kungani wangenza ngabanje na?”‡ 21 Umbumbi kalalo yini ilungelo lokuba ngengxenye yebumba efanayo enze okunye okubunjiweyo okomsebenzi omuhle lokomsebenzi ojayelekileyo na?
22 Kwakungaba njani-ke nxa uNkulunkulu wakhetha ukutshengisa ukubekezela okukhulu ezidalweni zentukuthelo yakhe ezazimiselwe ukubhujiswa etshengisa ulaka lwakhe lokwenza amandla akhe aziwe. 23 Kube kunjani nxa wenza lokhu ukuze enze ubuhle benkazimulo yakhe bazakale ezintweni zesihawu sakhe, azilungisela inkazimulo ngaphambilini, 24 kanye lathi asibizayo, hatshi kumaJuda kuphela, kodwa lakwabeZizweni? 25 Njengoba esitsho kuHosiya ukuthi:
“Ngizababiza ngokuthi ‘ngabantu bami,’§
labo Abangasibantu bami;
njalo ngizambiza ‘sithandwa sami,’
lowo ongasiso isithandwa sami,”
26 njalo,
“Kuzakwenzakala ukuba kuyo kanye indawo lapho okwathiwa kubo,
‘Kalisibo bantu bami,’*
bazabizwa ngokuthi
‘ngabantwana bakaNkulunkulu ophilayo.’ ”
27 U-Isaya uyamemezela ngo-Israyeli esithi:
“Lanxa inani labako-Israyeli linjengetshebetshebe ngasolwandle,
kuzasindiswa insalela kuphela.
28 Ngoba iNkosi izasifeza
isigwebo sayo emhlabeni ngesiqubu langokuphelelisa.”†
29 Kunjengoba u-Isaya watsho mandulo ukuthi:
“Aluba iNkosi uSomandla
wayengasitshiyelanga inzalo,
sasizakuba njengeSodoma,
sasizafana leGomora.”‡
Ukungakholwa Kuka-Israyeli
30 Pho sizakuthini na? Sithi abeZizweni abangakudinganga ukulunga, sebekutholile, ukulunga okungokukholwa; 31 kodwa u-Israyeli owalandela umthetho wokulunga, kakutholanga. 32 Kungani na? Ngoba kabawulandelanga ngokukholwa, kodwa kwakungemisebenzi. Bakhubeka elitsheni elikhubayo. 33 Njengoba kulotshiwe ukuthi:
“Khangelani, ngibeka eZiyoni ilitshe elikhubekisa abantu
ledwala elibenza bawe,
njalo lowo okholwa kuye kazukuyangiswa.”§
* 9:7 UGenesisi 21.12 † 9:9 UGenesisi 18.10, 14 ‡ 9:12 UGenesisi 25.23 § 9:13 UMalaki 1.2-3 * 9:15 U-Eksodasi 33.19 † 9:17 U-Eksodasi 9.16 ‡ 9:20 U-Isaya 29.16; 45.9 § 9:25 UHosiya 2.23 * 9:26 UHosiya 1.10 † 9:28 U-Isaya 10.22-23 ‡ 9:29 U-Isaya 1.9 § 9:33 U-Isaya 8.14; 28.16